Unorthodox means
by Luxmay
Summary: Lately Naruto has been struck by horrible nightmares that are filled by vivid images of massacres and torture. It was bad enough these dreams attacked him at night but as days slowly progress it threatens to consume his life...
1. Chi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Unorthodox means

* * *

'Iruka…'

The soft whisper was almost lost to the sound of a single lone droplet crashing against the damp pavement. Steam rolled and twisted around like a serpentine unable to find escape, it billowed about until reaching the ceiling causing more fluid to quickly gather.

The sound of a clicking rustle broke the thick silence once more.

A small figure hung limply in the middle of the room the shackles being the only means keeping the defeated form from slumping onto the floor. Small arms twisted weakly in attempt to find better a position off their weight, the movement alone caused the symbols etched around the cuffs to glow an angry crimson before it quickly flashed away to be replaced by the sound of a hissing kettle as more steam filled the dark room.

The tugs stopped quickly at the smell of offending copper and it was dead silence yet again.

.:Preface:.

* * *

**_.30 days._**

"Iruka!" The man mentioned turned around catching a glimpse of white fanged grin and a ball of neon orange before he was tackled to the floor with a thud.

"…Naruto what the hell!" Despite the harsh words the brunette couldn't help the amused chuckle that slipped through his lips when a pair of blue eyes peered down at him. Those eyes scrunched in a fox like manner and Naruto cheerfully laughed.

"Hah I surprised you didn't I! Some ninja you are…or maybe I'm just that great hehe…" Spotting the annoyed tick that appeared on the side of Iruka's face, Naruto turned his face to the side sheepishly in turn and gave a small nervous chuckle.

At the moment Naruto looked away Iruka stood up while dusting himself slowly and playfully swatted Naruto's head.

"Idiot, too much pride is a fail in any ninjas career."

"Hey Hey I was only joking around, you don't need to turn this into a lesson you know!" Naruto whined as he rubbed his head.

"Someones gotta put some sense in your head brat." Turning away Iruka briskly walked towards the ramen stand as Naruto followed behind him huffing and pouting childishly.

Although the blonde didn't mention it, Iruka could tell how much more guarded he had become after someone had broken into his apartment just last week. Oddly enough the burglar took nothing and left without a trace.

Although the blonde was not hurt he was clearly shaken by the event seeing as how the pair of blue eyes would look nervously left and right whenever he heard a sound every now and then. Looking closely Iruka also took notice of the small dark circles underneath his eyes and how unusually pale his once healthy tan skin is now...

'_He must be tired.'_Iruka thought sadly as he took quick glances of Naruto from the corner of his eyes. _'I'll give the little guy some break.'_

"…Hey Naruto"

"Huh?" Blue eyes snapped to brown and Iruka frowned at the crack he heard when Naruto turned his head a little too fast for his liking.

"You want to join me for some ramen?" Iruka couldn't help the grin flashing across his face at the sight of Naruto beaming up him when mentioning ramen.

"If you're paying!" Iruka took on a thoughtful pose and Naruto looked up at him expectantly, half in rejection and half in hope.

"Just this once…" He said and patted Naruto's hair affectionately.

"Yatta!" At the sight of Naruto's eyes glittering with appreciation and joy, Iruka knew he made the right choice.

The sun had started to set and the sky took on a hazy purple shade in the distance. Neither had mentioned to the other though of how late it was getting, too busy wrapped in each others company.

"…?" Naruto turned and looked behind him, a string of noodle still hung between his lips. His eyebrows drawn in concentration and lip set tight against his young face. He had only a second to ponder what he just heard before his vision faded to black.

'_No…not again!'-_

* * *

_Naruto was dreaming again._

_In it this time however he had ripped a young girl apart limb from limb as means to keep her from crawling away. **'Please...get away from me!' **Feeling the tender flesh and bones snap clean off left him with strange satisfaction._

**_'No-no-no...I don't like this, its wrong!'_**

_He dreamed of being filled with pleasure and glee at the sight of the writhing and screaming mess that used to be a beautiful girl._

_Faintly he felt the wisps of fire lick at his skin around him and vaguely he took notice of the dense blue flames slowly receding away from where he lay as if were afraid of his existence alone. Not that it had mattered much to him at the moment as he tore into the girl and feasted on her flesh, pulling her blonde hair back with a flick of his wrist he managed to sink his teeth into the sweetest part of her neck._

_Her once flawless skin smelled of flower that was tainted by the scent of rusting iron, it made him lightheaded. He chewed on his prize slowly and watched as she took her last shuddering breath, life fading from her pretty ebony eyes-_

"Naruto?" In a flash the dreamed crumbled, his senses exposed to the smell of miso and his eyes bombarded by flickering lights. The world tilted and twisted, he was once again sitting beside Iruka. Looking up at his teacher he felt a tinge of guilt at the sight of Iruka's concerned face and swallowed thickly to compose himself in order to not cry.

"…Nothing Iruka, must've been my imagination…" Naruto said weakly and turned around to bury his face in his ramen bowl as to not show his horrible pale stricken face.

* * *

"…" Naruto turned and looked behind him, a string of noodle still hung between his lips. His eyebrows drawn in concentration and lip set tight against his face. Naruto's eyes suddenly looked oddly withdrawn and hazy as if in a dream.

"What is it Naruto?" Iruka noticed the sudden silence in the blonde and turned at the direction Naruto was so fixed on. However seeing nothing but people milling in and out of the busy streets he gave a frown.

"Naruto?" He said once more when the blonde did not answer him the first time and after a moments silence the blonde turned to him with a hazy blue eyes.

"…Nothing Iruka, must've been my imagination…" Naruto gave a small smile to Iruka as if to assure him and turned back to his bowl with a small shudder but nonetheless seemed to ignore whatever was plaguing him in favor of nursing his cooling ramen. Iruka however kept his frown and hesitantly turned away from the dark streets at the mention of his name as Ayame pulled him into a conversation.

The calculating dark eyes narrowed and drifted away amongst the crowd as villagers bustled to close their shops.

* * *

**_.29 days._**

He stared up at the ceiling, blinking his ebony eyes until they adjusted to the darkness and stood from his meditative pose stretching while doing so, making cracks echo about in the room. The sound awoke presence beside him.

"Did you make full contact with the origin?" An equally tired young man whispered out, not bothering to open his eyes nor standing from his position on the intricately designed floor. The side of his eyes pulsed with chakra, veins standing out from the brunettes pale skin marking him as a Hyuuga.

"Almost, I had to retreat before its guardian noticed me." The other replied solemnly and gave a deep frown. Slowly he sat back down, brushing a short lock of black hair from his handsome face and sighed.

Hearing the ebony haired mans weary sigh, Neji finally opened his own eyes revealing pale lavender orbs that glanced in bitter understanding at the other.

"Go change shifts with Hinata for the day Sasuke and rest, you did all you can." Sasuke looked at Neji with a determined glint shining in his eyes.

"No I'm fine, we can't waste time resealing the room can we." Sasuke stated and relaxed back into his meditative pose yet again.

Neji said nothing, knowing whatever he was going to say would no doubt make any difference the moment Sasuke's eyes closed and following his companion's example he too fell back into darkness.

* * *

**_.28 days._**

"Naruto!" Iruka cried insistently using a rolled up paper in his hand to slap the top of his unruly students head it followed by a yelp of surprise.

"W-Wha-?"

"Pay attention Naruto! You were the one asking me for extra lessons. Take some responsibly and stop falling asleep!" Iruka said while giving Naruto a small annoyed look.

"heh-heh…sorry Iruka-sensei..." Naruto looked down sheepishly and tenderly touched his sore head.

"-Its just…"

"Eh whats wrong Naruto?" Iruka cocked a elegant eyebrow, his brown eyes laced with concern at the sight of Narutos oddly meek demeanor.

"It might sound stupid but I've been having these dreams-lately-and-er-...nevermind… hehe…" Naruto finished lamely with a small uncomfortable chuckle and turned away to look out at the setting sun.

"…" Unseen by Naruto, Iruka's eyes flashed amethyst deep within the brown orbs as he continued to stare at Naruto's back silently. His usually warm face was set in a cold stony look before quickly morphing back to a concerned confusion at the sight of Naruto turning to face him.

"um so where did we leave off?" Naruto gave a grin to his teacher, pleased when he managed to rid Iruka's worried face away.

"Right…Now where were we…oh yes, turn to page 20 Naruto!" Iruka replied giving an equally wide grin to Naruto.

"Hai sensei!"

* * *

Neji looked down at the beautiful setting sun knowing there was a slim chance that he'd ever witness it again, it made him treasure the warmth all the more.

"It's not real you know." Sasuke said from beside Neji, his fingers hooked in his pant pocket casually while looking down at the village. Despite what he had said, Sasuke could not tear his eyes away from the place he grew up in and stood there silently staring at the village as the sun washed over the buildings in golden rays.

"…Yeah" Not more was said between the two as they both stood side by side, both in deep reminiscence.

**_.27 days._**

* * *

to be continued...

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	2. I live to serve

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Unorthodox means

* * *

_I was created to protect this weak pathetic creature._

_But nonetheless I still grew faster and stronger for its sake._

_As I feasted on its memories I start to learn._

_Recently I also began to gain knowledge of what the names of these ailments were called that plagued me so._

_Sadness. Rage. Regret and finally Happiness._

_When it-no...my charge starts crying from some injustice others have caused, I would feel grudging hatred towards them._

_When my charge is filled with joy I too am filled with satisfaction and completion._

_When my charge is sad I regret not being able to act on anything for my charge's smallest desires._

_Last the feeling of pride whenever my charge does not back down nor submit to anyone who is rightfully wrong._

_The very balance of my entire being lies in my charge's small trembling hands._

_One day those peons came bearing nothing but ill intentions to my charge, seeking to burn out the small light I held more dearly then the world itself._

_Because that flicker of light __was_ my world.

_So I burned **them**._

_At that moment I decided I wanted to protect those foolish dreams and desires, that love and burning passion held for the smallest things but seemed everything to my charge._

_For that small innocent creature I must do everything in my power._

_I soon find out that the inner workings of my charge's sealing was the main cause for my obsession._

_But the sealing did not explain why I am so 'emotional' as I was not created for that purpose._

_No matter how strongly I oppose of the seals that bond my fate._

_I do not fight it nor do I regret it…_

_...and so I continue to protect this precious white slate of innocence that is only mine._

* * *

**_.26 days._**

Naruto frowned, his blue eyes narrowed with unusual concentration not normally seen on those his age. His tan skin changed to a unhealthy shade green and started puking on porcelain tiles of his kitchen floor.

"Guh! Oh my god Iruka put that thing away! Ewewewew." Naruto gurgled pathetically, holding his arms over his tearful face in attempt to shield his eyes.

"Naruto this is what the human body is consisted of-this is what _you_ are made of!" Iruka said patiently but nonetheless pushed aside the vividly realistic mannequin from his student's eyes.

"Its not that bad." Iruka insisted once more when Naruto continued to lay there on the floor.

"Bu-But…urgh…" Naruto tried in vain attempt to not glance at Iruka without imagining the vast amount of organs and red muscle lining over his bones..."

"Oh quit being a baby." Iruka looked down at Naruto as he writhed in the floor.

"…You're going to drown in your vomit Naruto."

"Sh-hut up" The blonde said weakly, his comment only served to bring a chuckle from Iruka.

"Let's take a break, if this is how you're going to act, then you're definitely not ready for the next lesson Naruto." Iruka said.

"Eh! Wait Iruka I can take it! Really!" Naruto stood up abruptly, flailing his arms in panic. The thought of being alone for the whole day without anything to do sounded more horrible then listening to Iruka's seemingly unending lecture of how the immune system and digestive system works.

"That's the spirit!" Iruka said cheerfully while pulling out another different mannequin that looked disturbing like a skeleton.

Naruto chose that moment to scream at the top of his lungs.

_20 minutes later..._

Iruka looked out the window and closed his book when he noticed the sun setting in the horizon.

"Well that's enough for today, any question?"

Naruto raised his head to look at Iruka pushing his thick text book to the side.

"Why are you teaching me all this stuff, it seems pretty useless to me." Naruto said with a pout, Iruka sighed at Naruto's childishness both in appreciation at the innocence and a little in annoyance.

"This is important Naruto, lets say if a precious person to you were to be dosed with poison, the fastest way of treating them would be to purge their system of it, knowing the human anatomy helps a lot too."

"Ah I see..." Naruto mumbled, his mood utterly plummeted at the thought of someone he loved getting hurt and being able to do nothing.

"Anyhow-I'll see you tomorrow Naruto!" Iruka said breaking the uncomfortable silence with a cheerful chuckle.

"R-Right!" Naruto grinned back at Iruka, feeling his mood brighten a little at what Iruka had just said. _'He said tomorrow, that means he's coming back!'_

"Bye Naruto!"

"Bye!" Naruto watched as Iruka walked awayquietly. The moment Iruka turned away however he could not help the violent shudder that wracked his form when he felt an unpleasant chill trail up his spine.

* * *

Sasuke looked down at the scroll, spinning red eyes scanned the contents from within, sometimes lingering on certain prints or pictures.

"Have you found the Origin's home Sasuke?" Neji said, jumping down from a tall oak and landing soundlessly to sit beside Sasuke on the sledge of stone.

"Wait..." Sasuke replied distractedly still furiously scanning every bit until reaching the handle and closed the scroll.

"I just memorized the whole document with sharingan." Sasuke explained catching the curious look Neji threw at him.

"Nice, you just made this whole mission easier." Neji said cracking a smirk.

"Hn." Sasuke hummed in agreement with a smirk also on his face.

"...The origin lives in the west district of konoha, building owned by Yuki Fugimoto. Apartment number 666." Neji gave a sour face at hearing the last bit of information.

"Mark of the beast huh..."

* * *

To be continued…


End file.
